1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easier clean-up.

2. Cut the squashes in half from stem to tip, then scoop out and discard the seeds. Place face-down on the sheet pan, and bake in the oven for at least 30 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the flesh of the squash. When finished baking, remove from the oven, flip cut-side up, and sprinkle each squash half with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

3. While the squash bakes, make the mac and cheese. Fill a medium-sized pot 2/3 of the way with water, and bring to a boil. When boiling, dump in pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Drain cooked pasta and set aside while you make the cheese sauce.

4. In the (now empty) pot you boiled the pasta in, add the olive oil and flour. Stir to combine, then turn the heat on to medium. Stir constantly until the mixture starts to bubble, then add in spices and milk. Switch to a whisk, and whisk to combine the flour/oil mixture with the milk. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and keep whisking constantly until the mixture boils. Once boiling, turn off the heat.

5. Shred the cheddar cheese, and stir it into the thickened milk mixture. Dump the cooked pasta into the pot of cheese sauce, and stir to combine. Taste and add a few extra pinches of salt and/or pepper, if needed.

6. Scoop the mac & cheese into the cooked squash, top each with a 1/2 Tablespoon of breadcrumbs, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

7. Turn the oven to BROIL, and put the pan of mac & cheese stuffed squash into the oven, just to brown the breadcrumbs. In my oven, this took 3 1/2 minutes under the broiler. I recommend setting a 2-minute timer and checking it every minute after, just so you don't burn the breadcrumbs.

8. Transfer to a platter and serve whole, or carefully cut each stuffed squash in half to yield 8 servings.